Working with Recruiters

If you have ever purchased a house, you know that it is customary for the seller to have an agent and the buyer to have a different agent. Employers are buyers of your services and recruiters are their agents. They are generally not incented to get you an interview, help you negotiate for a bigger salary, etc., unless the employer is in desperate need of your specific abilities.

Many career seekers don’t understand these dynamics, which causes them frustration and lost time.

Correcting misunderstandings about recruiters is a good first step

As a career seeker, you are seeking to sell your services to employers. Thinking “I’m looking for a good recruiter to work with” is like saying “I want to sell my house and I’m looking for a good buyer’s agent to work with.” You may need to re-read that last sentence once or twice before it sinks in.

We are seller’s agents. Our motivation is to help you sell your value to the best possible buyer at the highest price. That can mean making personal introductions to recruiters. But, most importantly, it means understanding how they operate and how to best leverage them.